Emergence of Orientia tsutsugamushi as an important cause of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in India.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) is a major seasonal public health problem in Bihar, India. Despite efforts of the Bihar health department and the Government of India, burden and mortality of AES cases have not decreased, and definitive etiologies for the illness have yet to be identified.

Objectives

The present study was undertaken to study the specific etiology of AES in Bihar.

Methods

Cerebrospinal fluid and/or serum samples from AES patients were collected and tested for various pathogens, including viruses and bacteria by ELISA and/or Real Time PCR.

Findings

Of 540 enrolled patients, 33.3% (180) tested positive for at least one pathogen of which 23.3% were co-positive for more than one pathogen. Most samples were positive for scrub typhus IgM o

SUBMITTER: Jain P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5891077 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature